Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to fluid delivery devices employed for use with phacoemulsification needles and more specifically to orientation of such fluid delivery devices during surgical procedures.
Description of the Related Art
Phacoemulsification refers to a method of lens and cataract extraction from an eye. The procedure includes an ultrasonically vibrated needle which is inserted through a very small incision of the cornea in order to provide energy for fragmenting the lens and cataract which then can be aspirated and removed through the incision.
The needle is supported by a handpiece interconnected with a console which provides electrical power to the handpiece as well as a supply of irrigation fluid and a vacuum source for aspiration of fragmented tissue and liquids.
Certain current handpieces can provide fluid to the eye during the surgical procedure. In order to facilitate the flow of fluid to the eye, the handpiece and needle are typically provided with a sleeve, which can facilitate delivery of fluid to the eye through a path between the needle and the sleeve. Sleeves are typically formed of resilient yet pliable materials and include openings from which fluid emanates, typically two openings oriented 180 degrees apart. Silicone is typically employed in the construction of sleeves.
One issue with handpieces employing needles and sleeves is the proper orientation of the devices. When a surgeon uses a handpiece fitted with a sleeve, he frequently employs the sleeve and needle in a region of the eye wherein he cannot see the orientation of the sleeve and/or the two fluid openings or ports provided and thus does not know in which direction fluid flows during the surgical procedure. A surgeon typically views the procedure through a device such as a microscope, and her inability to see the orientation of the ports during the surgery can potentially raise at least two issues.
First, fluid flow toward certain parts of the eye chamber, such as the retina or cornea, can potentially harm those regions, while fluid flow toward other parts of the eye chamber can be essentially benign and permissible to properly perform the surgery.
Second, some surgeons wish to employ the fluid in conjunction with the needle to more rapidly acquire, break apart, and/or emulsify the cataract material. Such surgeons employ fluid flow and ultrasonic power in tandem, and if the surgeon does not know the orientation of fluid flow he runs the risk of moving the fluid in an undesired direction, for example pushing away material he wishes to work on and break up. Such an occurrence could potentially extend the duration of the surgery, and is undesirable.
Other fluid delivery devices are provided in ocular surgical environments. For example, vitrectomy devices, such as cutters, may provide fluid flow without use of a sleeve through ports in the device. Vitrectomy devices may also use a sleeve comprising one or more ports for providing fluid flow. Again, these ports may become obscured and the vitrectomy surgeon may be unable to establish the orientation of the ports when obscured or partially obscured.
Further, the typical phaco handpiece and needle may be operated without a sleeve but with a separate fluid handpiece. In this instance, the needle can aspirate fluid from the eye through an opening, but again obscuration of the tip can be an issue.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a phacoemulsification fluid delivery arrangement, such as a needle or needle arrangement including a sleeve, that tends to minimize the adverse aspects previously known in such devices.